Work begins on Razorback baseball and track training facility
by July 22, 2013 6:23 pm 137 views
Beginning Monday, Kinco Constructors, Inc., the general contractor for the new baseball and track indoor training facility, will begin project site work on a facility that could cost up to $9.625 million.
Kinco’s project mobilization includes the demolition of the existing parking lot and preparation for moving forward with the full project when fundraising efforts are complete, according to a statement issued Monday (July 22) by the University of Arkansas Athletic Media Relations Office.
The design team on the project is Witsell Evans Rasco from Little Rock and HKS out of Dallas. While initial site work for the project is beginning, fundraising on the facility is not complete and the full project will be moving forward once the facility is fully funded.
“As we continue to seek support from donors through the ‘Never Yield’ campaign, we are preparing the site for the baseball and track indoor training facility,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said in the statement. “This will allow us to complete necessary preliminary site work which will put us in position to move forward quickly once funds are identified. These three facilities are critical to the future success of our program. We have already begun to see the positive impact of the Fred W. Smith Football Center on our football program, and now our focus is on gaining donor support for three additional facilities which will positively impact all of our more than 460 student-athletes.”
The baseball and track indoor facility is one of three projects part of the Never Yield fundraising initiative announced earlier this month. Never Yield, originated from a signature line in the University of Arkansas’ fight song, serves as a program-wide motto to help raise the national profile of Razorback Athletics while bringing fans together in their support for the more than 460 student-athletes representing the University of Arkansas.
In addition to the baseball and track indoor training facility, the Never Yield campaign also will provide support for the basketball practice facility and Student-Athlete Success Center, moving forward with three key projects in the Razorback Athletics Facilities Master Plan.
The proposed location for the baseball and track indoor training facility is on the north side of the existing Randal Tyson Track Center. The facility would provide 52,000 square feet of climate-controlled practice space, including a practice infield, throwing area, batting areas and ancillary team spaces. It also would allow all indoor track and field meet throwing events to be held in the facility, including the weight throw which is currently contested inside Walker Pavilion.
The baseball and track indoor training facility would serve more than 150 student-athletes annually. The total project cost is estimated at $7.75 million-$9.625 million.